Mass Chronology
by Tancho
Summary: A series of missing moments between Commander Light Shepard and Liara T'Soni. As the title suggests, the missing moments are in chronological order and will form one story. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

AN: In all honesty, I'm a noob. I've used this site for years, but I've never authored my fic. I wrote this tonight, while at work (obviously, I work very hard), so please forgive the brisk pace and lack of detail. Be nice to the noob, kudasai.

Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect or the characters.

* * *

Liara slowly keyed in the pass code to her apartment door. Although her job had never been easy, today had been the weariest yet.

She had seen Shepard for the first time since delivering her body to Cerberus.

The memories flicked painfully through her head.

_She had been negotiating with a client who refused to pay for the information she provided him with. As she threatened to flay him with her psychic powers, the screen suddenly went dark. Her eyes focused quickly and she saw Shepard's reflection. _

"_Shepard!"_

_ She had, of course, been expecting Shepard's arrival. She had fought the anxiousness of each passing moment by focusing on revenge. Although her flesh cried out in pain and her mind begged for answers, she allowed the cancerous anger to have its full effect. She would remain focused no matter what. Shepard's rebirth meant nothing._

_ Or at least that's what she had thought. But now, as Shepard stood before her, she wasn't so sure. The anger coursing through her blood screamed for her to remain focused and persistent, but her body acted against her better judgment. She hurried forward, taking Shepard's hands into her own. As their faces inched closer together, Liara whispered, "I've waited a long time for this."_

_ Finally, their lips met, and they shared a tender kiss. _

_ For a fleeting moment, Liara's angry façade melted away. Shepard was alive; what did it matter? She could finally find peace after two years of misery. But Feron's face flooded into her mind as she pulled away from the kiss. _

_ She remained in the embrace for only a moment more, attempting to compose herself. Finally, she moved towards her desk and spoke with a platonic tone._

_ "Shepard, so good to see you. How have you been?"_

Liara jostled herself free from the memories and moved further into her apartment. She collapsed onto the couch and leaned against the cushions. As her eyelids slowly fell, she glimpsed the mutilated bits of N7 armor across the room.

_"The truth is that Cerberus asked Feron and I to find your body. I messed it up, Shepard. I barely escaped with my own life. But I had to find you. Cerberus said there was a chance they could rebuild you. I gave you to them…because I couldn't let go of you. I'm sorry." Liara's eyes fell as she muttered these last words, bracing herself for a harsh response._

_ "You saved me?"_

_ Liara looked up, her eyes searching Shepard's face with disbelief. _

_ "Liara, you have nothing to apologize for! If you hadn't given me to Cerberus, I would never have come back." Shepard's words were sincere and her face glowed. She was truly thankful. _

Liara was slowly losing consciousness as she relaxed on the couch. Slowly, she stood and retreated to the loft. She changed into something comfortable and climbed into bed.

Two years ago, Shepard had been ripped from her life. Liara had spent every moment of that time in sorrow, grieving her death. And now, despite Shepard's return, Liara still physically ached with grief. Perhaps it was because she had held herself back. All she wanted to do was sob into Shepard's shoulder and share every broken moment.

She wanted closure.

Although Liara desperately wanted to heal, she felt that it would be a betrayal to Feron. If he was being tortured for her mistakes, why should she find solace?

As she struggled through these messy thoughts, her ears picked up the soft sound of footsteps. Suddenly, Liara was awake and alert. She sat up quickly and began to summon her psychic powers. Had the Shadow Broker finally sent an assassin?

The noise grew louder as the intruder crept up the stairs. Liara, now prepared to throw a black hole at the trespasser, hesitated as the skylights illuminated their face.

"Liara."

Standing at the top of the stairs was Light Shepard. Her curly blond hair sat messy atop her head and she was dressed in a Cerberus uniform. Her expression was strange; although she was smiling, her eyes were pained.

"Shepard! How…how did you get in here? _Why _are you here?" Although she was relieved to find that the Shadow Broker hadn't sent an assassin, she was still taken aback by Shepard's intrusion.

Boldly, Shepard moved forward and sat on the edge of Liara's bed. She studied her elegant face for a moment before finally speaking. "I…I'm sorry." Shepard choked on these words and hesitated. "I've put you through so much. Despite the pain I forced you to endure, you still rescued me from the Shadow Broker. I'm sorry, Liara."

Silence followed Shepard's words. Liara's head was spinning. Shepard had broken into her apartment to apologize? She had come to console her after two years of sorrow? Her blood boiled as the memory of Shepard's death filled her mind. She heard Shepard's harsh tone order her to board the escape pod. Before she could control herself, Liara lashed out.

"You abandoned me! _Why didn't you let me stay?_" She clenched her fists and began to beat against Shepard's chest. Shepard brought her arms around Liara and pulled her into an embrace.

At first, Liara wrestled against Shepard. Despite her stubbornness, however, her muscles eventually gave out and she collapsed into Shepard's arms. They sat there a long while, Liara weeping into Shepard's shoulder.

Time passed slowly as they shared the embrace. Eventually, Liara began to slip in and out of consciousness. Sensing Liara's tiredness, Shepard slowly leaned forward, gently laying Liara's head on her pillow. Although her eyes were nearly closed, Liara looked up and whispered, "Thank you."

Shepard sat there a long while, studying the sleeping form before her. Unable to control herself, she reached out and gently caressed Liara's cheek. Finally, after several minutes, Shepard withdrew her hand and stood up.

As she walked to the stairs, she turned her head to glance the sleeping form one last time. It would be some time before she would see Liara again, possibly not until after their trip through the Omega 4 Relay. Shepard drew in a deep breath and exhaled. She was ready to leave.

Turning to leave, Shepard breathed, "I love you, Liara," and made her way downstairs.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **Alright, friendies, here is the latest installment. I'm building up to missing moments surrounding LotSB, so this chapter has less 'action' in it. Also, I don't have a beta, so I apologize ahead of time for...well, anything.

Also, I thought I'd go ahead and take a moment to tell you a little bit about my Shepard. She's a Spacer/War Hero and a Paragon. She has green eyes and short, curly blond hair (I've only seen one other person who chooses this style. Sad, I love it). Her name is 'Light', which is a name I encountered while I was living in Japan. Obviously, it's an english word, but I saw it used as a name while I was there. Pretty snazzy.

Enjoy!

* * *

Light Shepard stood on the command deck, staring intently at the galaxy map. Her green eyes narrowed as she reflected on their predicament.

They were about to enter the Omega 4 Relay and destroy the Collectors. That is, of course, if the Normandy survived the relay and the team was able to successfully infiltrate the base.

As for leaving the base, Shepard hadn't given the idea much thought. She was aware that, to the sensible person, this was a suicide mission. Prior to this moment, she had felt that sacrificing herself in order to defeat the Collector's was well worth it. But now, as she gazed into the bright congestion of stars, she wasn't so sure.

Clearing her throat and summoning her courage, Shepard spoke. "Joker, plot a course for the Omega 4 Relay." There was a pause as she said this. Miranda, who was working at a nearby terminal, looked up and locked eyes with Shepard. Light immediately saw the mix of fear and determination on Miranda's face. Before Shepard could reassure her, Joker responded. "I'm plotting a course. It will take us a few hours, so the crew may want to get some rest."

Not wanting to linger on the sliver of fear that Shepard had seen in Miranda's eyes, she hurried down the steps and made for the elevator. As the doors closed, her thoughts returned to the suicide mission.

Before, she had reserved herself to the possibility of death. Now, however, she was beginning to rethink her determination. Was it really worth it to throw her life away for something that was merely a side effect of the Reapers? The Collectors were definitely a threat, but they were nothing compared to the extinction that threatened the entire galaxy. What with the Council ignoring her, who would fight the Reapers if she did not? If she perished in the Omega 4 Relay or fell to the Collectors, who would follow in her footsteps?

"No one," she whispered as she exited the elevator. Of course, someone would try. The Illusive Man would continue to work against the Reaper invasion. But could anyone, her included, really defeat these monsters?

Memories suddenly flooded her mind, and she remembered her last encounter with the Collectors. Harbinger had entered the fight and commanded his troops to 'focus on Shepard'. At first, she didn't give his words much thought – she was too busy trying to survive. But now, as she reflected on the mission, she realized the importance of his command.

She stood outside of her cabin door as the truth dawned on her. _Harbinger felt threatened by Shepard. _Had he not, he wouldn't have cared about her one way or the other. Weren't they all doomed anyways? Why was he so focused on eliminating her?

As she walked into her cabin, she paused for a moment to massage her neck. _This…may not be impossible after all. _She straitened up and glanced around her room, taking in her surroundings. In the corner of her eye, she saw her desk space.

_Maybe I should do something to pass the time. I certainly won't be able to sleep. _Her thoughts tumbled out as she moved towards her desk. Before she could think of something to do, her picture frame came to life, revealing the image of a beautiful, light blue Asari.

_Liara._

Placing her palms on her desk, Light bent down and examined the image. The last time Liara and her had spoken, they had just seen each other for the first time since Shepard's death. At first, Liara rushed towards her, kissing her passionately. With this, Shepard thought that their relationship had survived the last two years. Just as she thought this, however, Liara pulled away from the kiss. Walking towards her desk, Liara's demeanor changed and she spoke with Shepard as though she was a client.

If there was any affection, it was carefully hidden.

Later that day, Shepard took a taxi to Liara's apartment. After sneaking in and nearly being taken out by Liara's biotics, Light held her for a long while, letting her cry into her shoulder. The moment was fleeting, however, as Liara quickly fell asleep and Light left for another mission.

Since that time, Shepard had received intel regarding the Shadow Broker from the Illusive Man. Her initial response was to rush to Illium and pass the information on to Liara. She was almost to the elevator when she finally paused and considered what she was doing. Was it truly wise to give this information to Liara? Were her motives pure, or was she just using this as an excuse to see Liara?

Of course, there was also the matter of time. Did she really have time to race across the galaxy to deliver information? Weren't they pressed for time as it was? Back in the present, Shepard frowned slightly and rubbed her forehead.

_I'm just being childish. I need to grow up and give her the intel. If she doesn't want me anymore – fine. That doesn't mean I have to selfishly prevent her from finding peace. I just want her to be happy. _

Shepard looked at the picture one last time before straightening up. These moments of peace and quiet were brilliant for thinking. She had realized that they, her team, had a chance against the Collectors. _We might just make it out alive._

_And what better motive to stay alive, _she thought, _than to see Liara again? _

Shepard smiled slightly as confidence flooded into her being.

* * *

Hours later, Shepard stood in the cockpit behind Joker. Looking out the windows, Light saw the Omega 4 Relay before them.

"You know, Commander, there's a chance that this little trip is going to rip the Normandy to pieces."

There was a pause in which Jacob and Miranda entered the cockpit and stood behind Shepard. Gripping her N7 helmet, she slipped it snuggly onto her head.

"Hit the relay, Joker. We're heading going to destroy the Collectors...and I plan on living to tell the tale."

* * *

**Final Thoughts: **I'm going to write a new chapter this week and hopefully have it uploaded by Friday (at the latest...it could even be tomorrow.) Should we do a missing moment from the cabin scene or simply subsequent visits? If you R&R, let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

Alright friendies, I apologize for the lateness of the next chapter. I'm in the middle of moving, which was a surprise, so I haven't had much time for anything. This chapter is extra long (at least, I think so. It was 7 pages in Microsoft Word), so I hope this makes up for my lag.

Also, I don't have a beta reader, so please forgive any errors. A second pair of eyes is always welcome.

Oh, and something else. If I incorrectly referenced something, I apologize. I didn't have the energy to replay LotSB and double check my facts.

Disclaimer: "All your base are belong to us." Bioware owns all of it.

* * *

It had been days since Liara had done any real work. Her mind was riddled with anxiety and fear as she waited for her sources to provide her with some sort of relief.

Ever since Shepard had hit the Omega 4 Relay, her sources had grown eerily quiet. Given the confusing and tense condition of their relationship, Liara had to rely on eyewitnesses to report on Shepard's travels. _Maybe if I had just talked to her, let her in…_

But, of course, she had good reason for pushing Shepard away. Light was constantly throwing herself into harm's way. Death always seemed to be standing in the threshold. After grieving her death once, Liara wasn't sure she could do it again.

She knew, of course, that this was selfish. But experience and continuous anguish told her it wasn't worth it. One day, either in battle or because of old age, Shepard would again depart the physical world and leave Liara to face a millennium alone.

But despite her rationale, she couldn't shake her anxiety. Her head had made an excellent case, but in the end, her heart won out.

She missed Shepard.

Liara stood up, leaving her desk, and began to pace the whole of her office. As she fumbled with her thoughts, her communications link buzzed loudly from her desk. Liara looked over at her desk with disbelief. Her sources never contacted her unless they had confirmed their information.

Liara crossed the room quickly and answered the call.

"Madame T'Soni. Agent Kryko reporting in."

Anxiousness getting the better of her, Liara replied in a fierce tone, "What have you got?"

"The SSV-2 Normandy has returned from the Omega 4 Relay and is en route to Illium as we speak. Unless it chooses to remain in orbit, it will dock in four hours."

A lingering silence followed his report as Liara struggled to catch her breath. Still reeling in shock, Liara choked out, "Th-thank you, Kryko. T'soni out." Ending the call, Liara collapsed into her chair. The Normandy was en route to Illium! Shepard had survived…

Suddenly, Liara sat up straight, eyes wide with shock. She had forgotten to ask about the crew! She had been so relieved to hear that the Normandy had returned, that she had forgotten to ask if everyone had made it.

_But surely, _she reasoned, _the Normandy wouldn't come to Illium if Shepard were dead. _Even as she thought this, however, she knew that wasn't necessarily true. They could be docking for any number of reasons. And, given their last conversation, Shepard seemed disillusioned with Liara at the moment. _I'm probably the last person she wants to see._

Four hours passed quickly, however, and Liara found herself watching Shepard exit the docking area. _She's really here…oh! _Liara gasped as she saw that Light was making her way to her office. Not wanting to give the impression that she had been waiting for her arrival, Liara rushed to her desk and began typing away at her terminal. Trying to regain composure and appear busy, she began reviewing meaningless leads and useless data.

Despite all of this, she still felt her breath catch in her throat when Shepard walked through her door. Her gorgeous blonde, curly hair sat wildly atop her head and her green eyes shot through Liara, shattering her façade. As she walked forward, the sunlight caused her black N7 armor to shine. Liara's thoughts betrayed her. _She was born to wear that armor…_

Light crossed the room quickly, her eyes trained to Liara's. She sidestepped Liara's desk and came to a rest beside her. As Liara timidly gazed up into Shepard's face, she found a look of tenderness and compassion spread across her countenance. Light offered her hand to Liara, who took it hesitantly.

Gently, she pulled Liara to her feet and snaked her arms around her waist, pulling Liara into a tender embrace. Liara's heart took control and she immediately returned the embrace, burying her head into Light's shoulder. They stood there a long time, their bodies pushed intimately together.

As Light continued to cradle her, Liara felt as though the weight on her shoulders had become increasingly lighter. _Maybe…it's time. _But before she could further these thoughts, Light slowly pulled back, letting her hands rest on Liara's hips.

"I'm sorry, Liara, I haven't been very understanding of you. Perhaps it's because it's only been a few months for me – it's hard to perceive the time lapse. You've been through two years of, goodness, I don't know what. But, I want to know."

Liara furthered the distance between them, pulling back from Shepard's hands. "I…Shepard…"

"It's okay – you don't have to reply. I just wanted to put the offer on the table. Make it available, so to speak."

Liara lowered her head, looking at Light from the corner of her eyes. "Ah…thank you, Shepard." Slowly, Liara sat down behind her desk and motioned to the seat in front of her. Light took a seat and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

"Actually, there's another reason I came. Cerberus passed me some data on the Shadow Broker. From the way the Illusive Man talked, it seems it should point you in the right direction."

Liara could do little to control her emotions. Anxious to see the data for herself, she leaned forward slightly. "I had no idea! May I see it? Wait…you said the Illusive Man told you about the data. Have you not looked at it yourself?"

As Light retrieved the data pad from the ammo pouch on her leg, she grinned and replied, "Well, you've been hesitant to share details with me, so I thought I should let you review the information. I'm going to listen when you're ready – I won't go digging around behind your back."

Liara flashed Light a guilty look as she took the data pad. Liara had spied on Light ever since she left her office three months ago. She looked down at the data pad and raked through the information.

"Some hints as to the location of his base and…Feron!"

Shepard's brow furrowed. "Feron?"

Liara, still lost in shock, slowly looked up. "He's the Drell who helped me retrieve your body from the Shadow Broker. He betrayed me a few times…but in the end, he sacrificed himself for me. From the look of this data, it would seem that he is still alive!"

Shepard felt her heart cringe slightly. She wanted to ask how close they had become, but thought better of it. "What's the next step?"

Liara, still reeling from the information, stared quietly at the data pad. "I – I don't know. I've been hunting him for two years. I thought it would take several more to find him! But now…oh, I don't know," she reached for a small white frame on her desk and made her way to the door, "I need to go home and figure this out. Make a plan and contact a source of mine. I've been plotting revenge…but now, all I want to do is rescue Feron."

Realizing that Liara was going to try and tackle this alone, Shepard got up and walked towards the door. "Let me help, Liara. If you can pinpoint the exact location, the Normandy will get you there."

Liara saw the sincerity and desperateness in Shepard's eyes. As much as she stubbornly wanted to do this alone, she knew that she needed Light's help. "Thank you, Shepard. I'll meet you at my apartment?"

Shepard nodded and watched Liara head down the stairs.

* * *

The cold interior of the Normandy's docking bay caused Liara to shiver. She sat leaning against several containers, reflecting on the day's events.

Vasir was dead. She had prodded Shepard, "This is what a real Specter can do!" But, just as those words left her mouth, Light went into action. Triggering an adrenalin rush, she ran towards the fountain on the roof of _Azure, _and used the ridges to launch herself into the air. Turning slightly, holding a M8 pistol, Light blew a hole through Vasir's chest.

Afterwards, she and Shepard had argued back and forth over the loss of innocent life and the dark tone of Liara's words. Finally, Shepard had asked Liara about their relationship.

"_What do you want to talk about, Shepard?"_

"_I want to talk about us."_

_Liara, completely unprepared for the subject change, stumbled over her words. "Shepard…look. I'm glad you're here, but…"_

_Realizing that Liara was attempting to sidestep the issue, she lashed out._

"_Worried there's some terminals you need me to hack?"_

_Liara, clearly stung, fought back, "That's not fair! You were dead!"_

"_I came back!"_

_Anguish flooded her body as she reflected on two years of mourning. "Shepard, I…I mourned you for two years! Two years! I've barely slept, I've barely eaten…I've barely lived since you died! Not two weeks after your death, Cerberus headhunted Feron and I to find your body. Having to go and find the remains of someone you love…that's not easy to recover from! You can't just come back and have two years of mourning suddenly vanish, Shepard. It's not that easy!"_

_Liara reached up and massaged her forehead. She was getting carried away. "Look, Shepard, I can't do this right now. Can we just focus on getting Feron back? Please?"_

_Obviously frustrated with the abrupt end to the conversation, Shepard grunted, "Fine," and walked away._

As she leaned her head against the crate, Liara exhaled a long, strained breath. It was so hard to be so close to Shepard when, in reality, they were still so very far away from each other. She remembered the tender moments they had shared before the Collector attack. How, after their first night together, she began to sleep regularly in Shepard's personal quarters. She remembered how Shepard used to hold her at night, their legs tangled and…

Liara mentally berated herself. _Liara, stay focused!_

As she tried to shift her thoughts to those of Feron, she heard the elevator door open. Looking up to investigate, she saw Garrus enter the docking bay. He spotted her quickly and made his way over.

Although he had been with them every step of the way, from the Dracon Trade Center to the Azure Hotel, they really hadn't had a chance to catch up. Standing quickly, Liara and Garrus hugged.

"Liara! It's been a long time, old friend."

"You too, friend."

They both sat back down and leaned against cargo containers. Garrus was the first to speak.

"Are you ready for this? This won't be a milk run, that's for sure."

Liara, swelling with confidence, looked him in the eyes. "The Shadow Broker is going to pay, Garrus. I have no doubt that we're going to win."

Perhaps she had thought Garrus would agree with her, telling her she was right. But instead, Garrus's face fell. "Liara, you've changed."

Liara's head fell. "So I've heard."

Chuckling slightly, Garrus continued. "You know, after the death of my squad, I changed too. I guess I'd be a hypocrite if I said your behavior is wrong. It's just, well_, I was wrong."_

Liara looked at him, perplexed. Noticing her expression, Garrus explained, "At first, all I was focused on was hunting the man who betrayed me. If not for him, those men would be alive. So, when I was giving information regarding his location, I asked Shepard to help me track him down. Obviously, she agreed."

He paused a moment, drawing in air. "But, even after we found him and I prepared to put a bullet between his eyes, Shepard talked me down. She spoke with him, drawing out the truth and remorse in his heart. She showed me how my own thirst for revenge had clouded my judgment and made me careless. In the end, I spared him. And, to be honest, I'm so glad I did. Justice is easy, especially when you're angry. Mercy…well, it's not easy."

Liara opened her mouth to argue, but Garrus cut her off, "Don't get me wrong, Liara, I think the Shadow Broker needs to go down. Not only is he at the center of every rotten deal in this galaxy, he also tried to pawn Shepard's body to the Collectors. That, in my opinion, is reason enough. But don't let revenge twist you into something unrecognizable. If it weren't for Shepard, I would still be lost in my grief, feeding on anger and hatred. If I had let the wound fester, it would have eventually destroyed me. Hell, it would have affected everyone around me. So, for your own sake, Liara, don't make the same mistake."

Liara leaned sideways into a crate and looked at the floor. Garrus was, of course, right. She was letting the wound fester and it was destroying everything. Even though Shepard was helping her find the Shadow Broker and rescue Feron, Liara was still pushing her away. As though he could hear her thoughts, Garrus spoke again.

"She still loves you, you know."

Liara snapped to attention, blushing intensely. "Oh…"

Laughing softly, Garrus replied, "I just thought you should know. I'm the only person she talks to on this ship, and that's not saying much. She barely opens up. But I remember how she reacted to seeing you a few months ago. I've never seen a more broken soldier. It took her days to compartmentalize the issue and focus on the task at hand. As humans say, she's a 'love-sick puppy'.

Upon hearing this, Liara let out a sob that caused Garrus to jump. "Ah…Liara, I'm so sorry. I didn't say that to guilt you! It's just…" she looked up at him, attempting to hold back tears, "…it's obvious that you feel the same way. Even though it's been two years for you, it's only been months for her. She's still just as much in love with you as she ever was. Maybe more. Perhaps it's time to cut yourself a break and let her love you?"

Liara breathed in deeply, attempting to calm down. "Garrus…what if I lose her again? I don't think I can mourn her again. It was far too agonizing."

Garrus sat there a long time before replying. "I've thought the same thing. Can I lose my best mate again? Will any of us be able to let go of Shepard a second time? But, in the end, I realized that it's so worth it. I would rather live life now and enjoy the time I have then regret it later. And think, Liara, would you have grieved anything less?"

Liara was confused. "What do you mean?"

Garrus smiled and replied, "It was obviously worth it, was it not?"

And, despite the agony, Liara knew he was right.

* * *

The hours passed quickly and Liara found herself standing by Shepard's side in the docking bay. As Light checked the interior of her helmet, Garrus began preparing the shuttle. Finally, Shepard let her helmet hang by her side and stood ready to board. Before she could move, however, she felt a hand intertwine with her own. Looking down, she saw Liara drawing closer.

Liara brought her mouth to Shepard's ear and whispered softly, "I promise we'll talk soon." She then brought her mouth to Light's cheek and pressed a tender kiss that sent shivers down the soldier's spine.

Still holding hands, they boarded the shuttle.

* * *

Alright, folks! Next chapter will expand on the immediate aftermath of LotSB and, hopefully, delve into the cabin scene. I have an idea for a FemShep/Liara ME3 ending that I would like to write, but, I have to wait. Chronology...everything in its own time.


End file.
